<p>Srinagar:<strong> </strong>Eid-ul-Fitr prayers were not held at the historic Jamia Masjid and Eidgah in Srinagar on Monday, a decision that has drawn strong criticism from religious leaders and the public.</p><p>On Sunday, the J&K Waqf Board, led by BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi, announced that Eid prayers would not take place at the Eidgah due to ongoing construction work. </p><p>This announcement came just hours after the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, had declared that Eid prayers would be held at the Eidgah at 10 am, with Hurriyat chairman and chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq scheduled to deliver the Eid sermon at 9 am.</p>.<p>This decision marks the continuation of a pattern that has seen no Eid prayers held at the Eidgah since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Similarly, the authorities prevented congregational prayers from being held at the historic Jamia Masjid, located in the heart of Srinagar’s Old City.</p><p>These restrictions also extended to key religious events such as Shab-e-Qadr, a night dedicated to supplication and forgiveness, and Friday prayers during the last Friday of Ramadan, known as Jumat-ul-Vida.</p><p>The decision has sparked widespread condemnation from religious leaders and the public, who view it as part of an ongoing trend to limit religious freedoms in Kashmir. In response, Mirwaiz condemned the authorities’ actions, saying that even during the height of militancy in the 1990s, Eid prayers were offered at the Eidgah. He questioned the authorities’ claims of “normalcy” and criticized the continued denial of basic religious rights to Kashmiri Muslims.</p>.Kashmir separatist future in flux: Will Hurriyat reinvent or fade?.<p>In a post on X, Mirwaiz asked, “why are Muslims being kept away from their religious places and practices? What is the agenda ? Is the collective identify of Kashmiri Muslims a threat to the rulers ?"</p><p>"Eidgah and Jama Masjid belong to the people. Barring them from these sacred spaces even on Eid reflects an oppressive and authoritarian approach that prevails in Kashmir today," he added.</p><p>Despite the closure of the Jamia Masjid and Eidgah, Eid celebrations continued across the city and Kashmir. The Hazratbal Shrine, a site of great religious significance, hosted the largest congregation in Srinagar, with thousands gathering to offer prayers and mark the occasion.</p>
<p>Srinagar:<strong> </strong>Eid-ul-Fitr prayers were not held at the historic Jamia Masjid and Eidgah in Srinagar on Monday, a decision that has drawn strong criticism from religious leaders and the public.</p><p>On Sunday, the J&K Waqf Board, led by BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi, announced that Eid prayers would not take place at the Eidgah due to ongoing construction work. </p><p>This announcement came just hours after the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, had declared that Eid prayers would be held at the Eidgah at 10 am, with Hurriyat chairman and chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq scheduled to deliver the Eid sermon at 9 am.</p>.<p>This decision marks the continuation of a pattern that has seen no Eid prayers held at the Eidgah since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Similarly, the authorities prevented congregational prayers from being held at the historic Jamia Masjid, located in the heart of Srinagar’s Old City.</p><p>These restrictions also extended to key religious events such as Shab-e-Qadr, a night dedicated to supplication and forgiveness, and Friday prayers during the last Friday of Ramadan, known as Jumat-ul-Vida.</p><p>The decision has sparked widespread condemnation from religious leaders and the public, who view it as part of an ongoing trend to limit religious freedoms in Kashmir. In response, Mirwaiz condemned the authorities’ actions, saying that even during the height of militancy in the 1990s, Eid prayers were offered at the Eidgah. He questioned the authorities’ claims of “normalcy” and criticized the continued denial of basic religious rights to Kashmiri Muslims.</p>.Kashmir separatist future in flux: Will Hurriyat reinvent or fade?.<p>In a post on X, Mirwaiz asked, “why are Muslims being kept away from their religious places and practices? What is the agenda ? Is the collective identify of Kashmiri Muslims a threat to the rulers ?"</p><p>"Eidgah and Jama Masjid belong to the people. Barring them from these sacred spaces even on Eid reflects an oppressive and authoritarian approach that prevails in Kashmir today," he added.</p><p>Despite the closure of the Jamia Masjid and Eidgah, Eid celebrations continued across the city and Kashmir. The Hazratbal Shrine, a site of great religious significance, hosted the largest congregation in Srinagar, with thousands gathering to offer prayers and mark the occasion.</p>